For Once: A World That Acts Justly, Loves Mercy, Walks Humbly and Fights Boldly for Climate Justice

For once, I would love to write a column on climate change with only good news.  I would be uplifting for me and for you.

My column would say that all countries of the world are dramatically reducing their carbon emissions and on the path to net carbon emissions by January 1, 2050.  The countries most responsible for climate change are contributing large amounts of money to help all the developing nations, who contributed the least to climate change but are suffering the most.

Construction in “Cancer Alley”, where petrochemical companies poisoned their neighbors for decades, is turning it into the longest linear park of trees, birds and frolicking children in the world.

Island nation citizens whose homes are lost to rising seas are welcomed with open arms to their new home countries.

People of faith are praised for their campaigns to right the injustice of climate change on the “least of these” and their efforts are compared to the heroic work of the black churches that took to the streets to demand civil rights.  Presbyteries have cut their carbon emissions and encourage churches to cut their carbon emissions.

Churches are run by solar power and members drive electric cars and trucks.  At church session meetings and socials, people brag about cutting their carbon emissions.

Petroleum companies are rapidly phasing out their production of fossil fuels and switching their businesses to renewable energy.  Exxon apologized to all of humanity for its deceptions and insistence on burning fossil fuels long after it knew that their emissions were causing an existential threat to the world.  It also started writing lots of checks to help alleviate all the suffering it is causing.

Federal law forbids all political campaigns from receiving fossil fuel money and federal fossil fuel subsidies no longer exist.  The billions are now spent on helping the “least of these”.

How hard is this?  Not so hard, if we all pulled together, listened to the scientists, agreed that the world had to cut its carbon emissions and were willing to do our part to make this a reality.

Instead, I woke up recently to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Climate Change Assessment https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/#SPM that says it is now “code red for humanity”.

We have pushed the planet too far and there is no doubt…no doubt that humans are causing climate change.  The only question is whether the world can muster the will to stave off a darker future than the one it has already locked into.

It is too late for us to undo the current damage.  The oceans will rise.  Extreme weather will be the norm.  Fires will rage.  It is not too late, however, to stop it from getting worse, but we have a very narrow window of time.

Is “For Once” possible?  I hope so.  We all need a world that acts justly, loves mercy, walks humbly, and fights boldly for climate justice.

If you would like to do something to address the climate crisis in presbytery or your church, please contact me, and we can start talking:  pammcvety@hotmail.com.

——————————

Caring for Creation Notes

By Pam McVety,
Presbytery Stewardship of Creation Enabler